Early To Bed and Early To Rise

… never made anyone wise
A 1920 comedy song.
Words by Alex Gerber.
Music by Abner Silver.


The sheet music:


Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:


Lyrics

  1. You all remember that proverb of old
    Time and again you’ve heard it told
    That early to bed and early to rise
    Will make you wealthy, healthy and wise
    I thought I’d try it to see if it works
    And I stopped toaming about
    I went to sleep at ten, six found me up again
    But it’s all wrong I found out

Refrain
Early to bed and early to rise
Will make you strong,
But won’t make you wise
Early each night, out goes the light
Then while you’re nappin’
You miss things that happen
You realize an owl is wise
At night is when he opens up his eyes
Take your milkman, he gets up at five
Still he looks more dead than alive
Cause early to bed and early to rise
Never made anyone wise

  1. Doctors will tell you that sleeping is great
    But they themselves will stay up late
    The prophets of old were all very wise
    Still they learned from the stars and the skies
    Take your inventors, the men with ideas
    Notice the hours they keep
    They study and they toil, burn up the midnight oil
    While all the world is asleep

Sung here by Laurence Rubenstein: